When a democracy is at war, what does it mean to serve your country? Host Gil Troy and Brooking Institution Senior Fellow & Wall Street Journal Columnist William Galston discuss how the perception of rights and obligations is affected by the collective experience or its absence - of defending one’s country, and how those experiences can reshape a society. 

With a focus on US and Israeli policies and the context of the Israel-Hamas war, this episode explores questions of shared burden, equality, societal values, and effective governance, while texts and observations from US history illustrate these ongoing democratic debates.

(0:00) Opening

(0:34) Introduction

(3:22) Theodore Roosevelt Letter

(4:14) Interview with William Galston

(24:11) Summary

To read the texts and learn more about the manuscripts discussed in this episode, visit: 

- President Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War Draft Order That Sparked The 1863 New York Draft Riots July 7, 1863

- Former President Theodore Roosevelt Writes Of His Sons’ Participation In WWI August 14, 1918

Check out William Galson’s 5 favorite books:

- David Hartman, Israelis and the Jewish Tradition

- John Judis, The Politics of Our Time

- Serhii Plokhy, The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine

- Susan Shirk, Overreach: How China Derailed Its Peaceful Rise

- Michael Walzer, The Struggle for a Decent Politics

Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and by signing up for our newsletter at shapell.org/contact. For more information about this podcast, visit The Human Side of History.

Production by docyourstory

Music by Adam Weingrod

The show is produced by The Shapell Manuscript Foundation. To learn more about the foundation and discover the manuscript collection visit: ⁠www.shapell.org

Comments & Corrections:

- The Moral Equivalent of War by American philosopher William James.

- Ultra-orthodox army service in Israel and volunteers: Following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, approximately 2,000 Israeli ultra-Orthodox men volunteered to join the IDF. However, it is unclear how many of these volunteers completed their enlistment, as volunteer enlistment can be influenced by multiple factors. According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense website, about 6,000 ultra-Orthodox men are currently serving in the IDF, though this data may not be up-to-date.

After the initial recording of this podcast episode, the Israeli Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in June 2024, mandating the conscription of ultra-Orthodox men into the military and ending their longstanding group exemptions. The court viewed these exemptions as invalid selective enforcement. The decision was driven by the principle of equal protection under the law, highlighting the inequity of the existing exemption system. This ruling came amid heightened tensions and increased demands on the military following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, underscoring the importance of equitable burden-sharing in society.